Engine idling control device of excavator and method thereof

ABSTRACT

An engine idling control device for an excavator and a method thereof are provided, which can recognize the state of an engine, an on/off state of a function selection switch, and a user&#39;s intention to work that has maximally been reflected, reduce fuel use and production of carbon dioxide through automatic stopping or driving of the engine in accordance with an operation state of a safety device having convenience, and easily implement an engine stop and start function in accordance with a user&#39;s selection. The engine idling control device includes a first signal detection unit, a second signal detection unit, and an engine idling control unit automatically stopping or driving an engine in accordance with the state of the engine, the on/off state of the function selection switch detected by the first signal detection unit, and the operation state of the safety device detected by the second signal detection unit.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an engine idling control device for anexcavator and a method thereof. More particularly, the present inventionrelates to an engine idling control device for an excavator and a methodthereof, which can recognize the state of an engine, an on/off state ofa function selection switch, and a user's intention to work that hasmaximally been reflected, reduce fuel use and production of carbondioxide through automatic stopping or driving of the engine inaccordance with an operation state of a safety device havingconvenience, and easily implement engine stop and start function inaccordance with a user's selection.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, an excavator has a function of preventing unnecessary fuelconsumption through lowering engine revolution to the minimum revolution(idle state) if an operation is not input for a predetermined timeperiod in an engine driving state.

Since the engine is continuously driven even in an idle state, fuel isconsumed and carbon dioxide is produced. In order to solve this problem,Korean Patent Application No. 10-2001-0052517 discloses a method forcontrolling driving or stopping of an engine of a vehicle for industrythrough time setting according to operation of an accelerator pedal.However, there is difficulty in reflecting user's convenience, andresetting is required when the work environment is changed or user'sintention is changed to cause inconvenience.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve theabove-mentioned problems occurring in the related art, and one subjectto be achieved by the present invention is to provide an engine idlingcontrol device for an excavator and a method thereof, which canrecognize the state of an engine, an on/off state of a functionselection switch, and a user's intention to work that has maximally beenreflected, reduce fuel use and production of carbon dioxide throughautomatic stopping or driving of the engine in accordance with anoperation state of a safety device having convenience, and easilyimplement engine stop and start function in accordance with a user'sselection.

Technical Solution

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is providedan engine idling control device for an excavator, which includes a firstsignal detection unit detecting an on/off state of a function selectionswitch; a second signal detection unit detecting an operation state(on/off state) of a safety device; and an engine idling control unitautomatically stopping or driving an engine in accordance with a stateof the engine, the on/off state of the function selection switchdetected by the first signal detection unit, and the operation state ofthe safety device detected by the second signal detection unit.

The engine idling control unit may automatically stop the engine if thefunction selection switch is turned on and the safety device is turnedoff in a state where the engine is driven, and may drive the engine ifthe function selection switch is turned on and the safety device isturned on in a state where the engine is stopped.

The safety device may be any one of a control lock device that isinstalled inside an operator's seat of the excavator and a safety lever.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a method of controlling engine idling for an excavator, whichincludes detecting an on/off state of a function selection switch;detecting an operation state (on/off state) of a safety device; andautomatically stopping or driving an engine in accordance with a stateof the engine, the detected on/off state of the function selectionswitch, and the detected operation state of the safety device.

The step of automatically stopping or driving the engine mayautomatically stop the engine if the function selection switch is turnedon and the safety device is turned off in a state where the engine isdriven, and may drive the engine if the function selection switch isturned on and the safety device is turned on in a state where the engineis stopped.

The safety device may be any one of a control lock device that isinstalled inside an operator's seat of the excavator and a safety lever.

Advantageous Effect

According to the present invention, the state of the engine, the on/offstate of the function selection switch, and the user's intention to workthat has maximally been reflected can be recognized, and the fuel useand the production of carbon dioxide can be reduced through automaticstopping or driving of the engine in accordance with an operation stateof a safety device having convenience. Further, the engine stop andstart function can be implemented in accordance with the user'sselection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above objects, other features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent by describing the preferredembodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an engineidling control device for an excavator according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating in order the operation of an engineidling control device for an excavator according to the presentinvention; and

FIGS. 3A to 3C are graphs illustrating an engine stop state incontrolling the stop and start of an engine according to the presentinvention as compared with the related art.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWING

101: function selection switch

102: safety device

103: first signal detection unit

104: second signal detection unit

105: engine idling control unit

106: engine

Best Mode

Now, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be describedin detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an engineidling control device for an excavator according to the presentinvention.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, an engine idling control device for anexcavator according to the present invention is configured to include afirst signal detection unit 103, a second signal detection unit 104, andan engine idling control unit 105.

That is, the engine idling control device for an excavator according tothe present invention includes a first signal detection unit 103detecting an on/off state of a function selection switch 101; a secondsignal detection unit 104 detecting an operation state (on/off state) ofa safety device 102; and an engine idling control unit 105 automaticallystopping or driving an engine 106 in accordance with a state of theengine 106, the on/off state of the function selection switch 101detected by the first signal detection unit 103, and the operation stateof the safety device 102 detected by the second signal detection unit104.

Here, the first signal detection unit 103 is electrically connected tothe function selection switch 101 and the engine idling control unit105, and detects and transfers the on/off state of the functionselection switch 101, which is varied according to user's key operation,to the engine idling control unit 105.

The second signal detection unit 104 is installed between the safetydevice 102 and the engine idling control unit 105, and detects andtransfers the operation state (on/off state) of the safety device 102(e.g., a control lock device installed inside an operator's seat of theexcavator or a safety lever) to the engine idling control unit 105.

The engine idling control unit 105 is configured to automatically stopor drive the engine 106 in accordance with the state of the engine 106,the on/off state of the function selection switch 101 detected by thefirst signal detection unit 103, and the operation state of the safetydevice 102 detected by the second signal detection unit 104.Specifically, if the function selection switch 101 is turned off in astate where the engine is in a driving state, the engine stop and startfunction according to the present invention is not implemented, while ifthe function selection switch 101 is turned on, the engine stop andstart function is implemented according to the user's operation state ofthe safety device 102. That is, if the function selection switch 101 isturned on and the user turns off the safety device 102, the engine 106is automatically stopped. By contrast, if the safety device 102 isturned on in the case where the function selection switch 101 is turnedon in a state where the engine 106 is stopped, the engine stop and startfunction is implemented to drive the engine 106.

Hereinafter the operation of the engine idling control device for anexcavator according to the present invention of FIG. 1 will be describedwith reference to FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating in order the operation of an engineidling control device for an excavator according to the presentinvention.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first signal detection unit first detectsthe on/off state of the function selection switch (S201, S202, andS205).

That is, the first signal detection unit, which is electricallyconnected to the function selection switch and the engine idling controlunit, detects the on/off state of the function selection switch that isvaried according to the user's key operation.

Then, the detected on/off state of the function selection switch istransferred to the engine idling control unit.

Next, the second signal detection unit detects the operation state(on/off state) of the safety device (S203 and S206).

That is, the second signal detection unit, which is installed betweenthe safety device and the engine idling control unit, detects theoperation state (on/off state) of the safety device.

Then, the detected operation state of the safety device is transferredto the engine idling control unit.

The safety device may be, for example, a control lock device installedinside an operator's seat of the excavator or a safety lever.

Next, the engine idling control unit automatically stops or drives theengine in accordance with the state of the engine, the on/off state ofthe function selection switch that is detected by the first signaldetection unit, and the operation state of the safety device that isdetected by the second signal detection unit (S204 and S207).

Specifically, if the function selection switch is turned off in a statewhere the engine is driven, the engine stop and start function accordingto the present invention is not implemented.

By contrast, if the function selection switch is turned on, the enginestop and start function is implemented in accordance with the user'soperation of the safety device.

That is, if the function selection switch is turned on and the userturns off the safety device, the engine is automatically stopped.

By contrast, if the safety device is turned on in the case where thefunction selection switch is turned on in a state where the engine isstopped, i.e., if the user turns on the safety device, the engine stopand start function is implemented to start the engine driving.

As described above, according to the present invention, the state of theengine, the on/off state of the function selection switch, and theuser's intention to work that has maximally been reflected can berecognized, and the fuel use and the production of carbon dioxide can bereduced through automatic stopping or driving of the engine inaccordance with an operation state of a safety device havingconvenience. Further, the engine stop and start function can beimplemented in accordance with the user's selection.

FIGS. 3A to 3C are graphs illustrating an engine stop state incontrolling the stop and start of an engine according to the presentinvention as compared with the related art.

FIG. 3A shows an engine stop operation in the related art, which lowersthe engine revolution to the minimum revolution after a predeterminedtime elapses. FIG. 3B shows another engine stop operation in the relatedart, which turns off the engine after a predetermined time elapses inaccordance with the time set through the existing engine idling controltechnology or the time set by the operator. Unlike the related art asdescribed above, according to the present invention as illustrated inFIG. 3C, the engine can be controlled to be stopped or driven at anytime even if the time point where the operator commands stopping of thesafety device differs.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As apparent from the above description, the present invention can beused in the engine idling control device for an excavator. Morespecifically, the present invention can be used in the engine idlingcontrol device for an excavator, which can recognize the state of theengine, the on/off state of the function selection switch, and theuser's intention to work that has maximally been reflected, reduce thefuel use and the production of carbon dioxide through automatic stoppingor driving of the engine in accordance with the operation state of thesafety device having convenience, and easily implement the engine stopand start function in accordance with the user's selection.

1. An engine idling control device for an excavator, comprising: a firstsignal detection unit detecting an on/off state of a function selectionswitch; a second signal detection unit detecting an operation state(on/off state) of a safety device; and an engine idling control unitautomatically stopping or driving an engine in accordance with a stateof the engine, the on/off state of the function selection switchdetected by the first signal detection unit, and the operation state ofthe safety device detected by the second signal detection unit.
 2. Theengine idling control device according to claim 1, wherein the engineidling control unit automatically stops the engine if the functionselection switch is turned on and the safety device is turned off in astate where the engine is driven, and drives the engine if the functionselection switch is turned on and the safety device is turned on in astate where the engine is stopped.
 3. The engine idling control deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the safety device is any one of a controllock device that is installed inside an operator's seat of the excavatorand a safety device.
 4. A method of controlling engine idling for anexcavator, comprising: detecting an on/off state of a function selectionswitch; detecting an operation state (on/off state) of a safety device;and automatically stopping or driving an engine in accordance with astate of the engine, the detected on/off state of the function selectionswitch, and the detected operation state of the safety device.
 5. Themethod of controlling engine idling according to claim 4, wherein thestep of automatically stopping or driving the engine automatically stopsthe engine if the function selection switch is turned on and the safetydevice is turned off in a state where the engine is driven, and drivesthe engine if the function selection switch is turned on and the safetydevice is turned on in a state where the engine is stopped.
 6. Themethod of controlling engine idling according to claim 4, wherein thesafety device is any one of a control lock device that is installedinside an operator's seat of the excavator and a safety lever.